Does odd-even scheme work, Delhi High Court questions Kejriwal

The Delhi High Court today questioned AAP government over its ambitious odd-even plan. The court has asked Kejriwal-led AAP government to evaluate the impact of odd-even formula on the National capital's air pollution and reply by Friday.

The Delhi High Court today questioned AAP government over its ambitious odd-even plan. The court has asked Kejriwal-led AAP government to evaluate the impact of odd-even formula on the National capital's air pollution.

The Delhi government has been asked to submit a report on pollution levels for past one week by January 8 as there is a need to assess if the scheme has had any positive impact so far.

On Tuesday, the government said the cut in vehicular emission due to the scheme has shown "definitive decline" in levels of PM2.5 pollutants and claimed the there has been a "positive impact" of the 15-day experiment so far.

Stating that the people are facing hardships - Delhi High Court has also asked them to find out whether there have been any benefit due to the implementation of this plan.

The High Court was hearing several PILs that have challenged the entire odd-even plan as being against the middle class, while others are against certain portions of it, like the exemptions given to women drivers and two-wheelers.

Meanwhile, experts are of the opinion that less congestion in Delhi owing to the odd-even car rationing scheme is shielding people from "direct exposure" to pollutants, especially in and around areas of high car density such as traffic junctions.

The experts unanimously endorse that a reduction in the volume of cars was simultaneously bringing down levels of gaseous pollutants like oxides of nitrogen, sulphur dioxide and black carbon, which is a mixture of road dust and vehicle fumes.

Odd-even plan, a measure aimed at curbing pollution came into force on January 1.